2008 UIM F1 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Grand Prix of Portugal – May 4th, round 2 of 9
For immediate release
Saturday, May 3rd, 2008
QATAR’S PRICE QUALIFIES FIFTH
FOR GRAND PRIX OF PORTUGAL
Shoot-out success for UAE’s Al-Hameli; Engine problems for Al-Khulaifi
Qatar’s Ahmad Al-Fayyad sidelined with steering troubles
PORTIMAO (Portugal): Qatar’s Jay Price will start Sunday’s Grand Prix of Portugal in Portimao from fifth position on the grid, after Saturday afternoon’s two time trials and six-boat shoot-out for the second round of the 2008 UIM F1 World Championship. Team Abu Dhabi’s Ahmad Al-Hameli won the six-boat shoot-out and will start the race from Pole Position.
Qatar Team newcomers Yousef Al-Khulaifi and Ahmad Al-Fayyad had mixed fortunes on their first F1 race outside Qatar. Al-Khulaifi set some promising lap times before succumbing to two engine breakdowns and Al-Fayyad was sidelined with steering problems in the first session.
“It was another top performance from Jay, although he had some problems in the turn on the shoot-out and could easily have flipped over,” admitted Mohammed Al-Jaidah, head of Formula Racing at the Qatar Marine Sports Federation (QMSF), which is run under the presidency of His Excellency Sheikh Hassan Bin Jabor Al-Thani.
“We may also have some problems with Yousef’s boat which caused the two engine failures. The team will look at the boat tonight and if we can find the problem, then Yousef will take part in the final practice on Sunday morning and then, maybe, the race.” Al-Khulaifi qualified 21st.
Jonas Andersson followed up his first GP win in Doha with the fastest time in the first of the time trials, the Swede laying down the gauntlet for the other 21 boats with a hot lap of 44.99s. David Trask was his nearest rival with a time of 45.08s and Price flew the Qatar Team flag proudly with a third fastest time of 45.17s. Thani Al-Qamzi, Phillipe Chiappe and Fabio Comparato filled fourth, fifth and sixth places and Qatar’s Yousef Al-Khulaifi was down in 19th with a time of 51.75s.
Qatar team mate Ahmed Al-Fayyad was unable to start the session in his Mercury-engined DAC after his boat was troubled by steering problems. Yousef Al-Khulaifi suffered an engine failure and Qatar team management decided to switch the working Mercury unit from Al-Fayyad’s boat into Al-Khulaifi’s hull to enable the second rookie Qatar driver to continue. Unfortunately, Al-Khulaifi’s boat suffered a second engine failure and he was unable to take part in the second time trial.
“Ahmad still needs to gain more Formula experience before we can give him a full push into Formula One and we decided to sacrifice the engine in his boat to give Yousef the chance to carry on with Jay,” admitted Qatar’s new F1 team manager Mohammed Al-Ali.
Team Abu Dhabi were on the pace in the second time trial, with Ahmad Al-Hameli immediately making an impression among the leading times, after only running for two laps in the first time trial. Thani Al-Qamzi was also on the pace and Price found himself locked between multiple World Champion Guido Cappellini, David Trask, Jonas Andersson and the two Abu Dhabi drivers, as they all scrapped in the final minutes of the second session to capture the six coveted places for the shoot-out.
Al-Hameli eventually set the fastest time of 44.69s, with Cappellini, Andersson, Trask, Price and Al-Qamzi following him into the six-boat shoot-out, although the shoot-out was delayed because of strong winds.
Massimo Roggiero was the fastest of all the drivers in the first official practice session on Saturday morning, the Italian posting a fastest lap of 44.89s. Qatar’s Price was the only other drivers to break the 45-second barrier with a fastest lap of 44.95s. World Champion Sami Selio was down in fifth, but both Qatar’s Al-Khulaifi and Al-Fayyad out in creditable performances, with Yousef posting the 18th fastest lap of 55.61s and Fayyad lapping with a best of 1m 03.36s before steering problems intervened.
The Grand Prix of Portugal fires into life at 14.00hrs on Sunday (May 4th), although teams will be permitted to take part in a second free practice session from 11.30 hrs on Sunday morning.
2008 Grand Prix of Portugal – Shoot-out results (unofficial):
1. Ahmad Al-Hameli (UAE) F1 Team Abu Dhabi
2. Guido Cappellini (I) Tamoil F1 Team
3. Jonas Andersson (S) F1 Team Sweden
4. Thani Al-Qamzi (UAE) F1 Team Abu Dhabi
5. Jay Price (QA) Qatar Team
6. David Trask (AUS) Trask Brothers Racing
2008 UIM F1 World Championship – Pole Position (positions after round 2 of 9):
1. Jonas Andersson (S) F1 Team Sweden 32 pts
2=. Thani Al-Qamzi (UAE) F1 Team Abu Dhabi 24 pts
2=. Guido Cappellini (I) Tamoil F1 24 pts
4. Ahmad Al-Hameli (UAE) F1 Team Abu Dhabi 20 pts
5. Jay Price (QA) Qatar Team 14 pts
6. Sami Selio (FIN) Woodstock Red Devil Racing 12 pts
7=. Massimo Roggiero (I) Woodstock Red Devil Racing 5 pts
7=. David Trask (AUS) Trask Brothers Racing 5 pts
Ends
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Neil Perkins, NDP Publicity Services, Mobile: + 44 7831 123153, E-mail: ndppublicity@compuserve.com. www.ndp-publicity.com (press releases).